Redemption
by CRIMS0NKNIGHT
Summary: Allan must find a way to completely redeem himself after his betrayal. Ghostly prophets tell him of a greater destiny that lies before him, but he cannot do it alone. He must reestablish the bonds he has broken in order to succeed. Post Sn. 2 Finale
1. The Visit

Allan A Dale had never dreamed of seeing the Holy Land. Not once in his life had he ever thought about planting his feet on such sacred soil. Yet he was here, and he had helped his friends save the king. But there was a great unrest in his mind. He felt unworthy, unwanted, a trespasser in a land where men of his character did not belong. He was a thief, a liar and the worst kind of traitor who betrayed his friends for a few pieces of silver. He aided his friends in their mission today, yes, but he felt it was not enough to redeem his past crimes.

Marian had died in the attempt. She had given her life for a cause she would never see come to pass. Her death ensured that. Allan grieved his friend's death. He felt that good people like Marian should be alive and those who played a part in her death should be in her position. Yet people like the sheriff, and Gisborne, the man who murdered her, still live, and they have yet to pay for their crimes. A part of him felt guilty. A part of him felt he had a hand in her death. But worst of all, a part of him felt that this whole thing was somehow his fault. He was sure that Robin and his friends felt the same way about him, but said nothing of it.

He couldn't wait to get out of the holy land. Just being here was suffocating to him. The guilt was heavy, but within these lands, it felt overwhelmingly unbearable.

-----

The night before they were to return England, Allan could barely sleep. The bed beneath him provided comfort incomparable to the earthen forest floor or the iron confines of Nottingham Castle, yet his eyes would not remain shut. The great unrest in his mind prevented him from entering a state of temporary peace.

Then suddenly a darkness flew over his head. Someone was in his room. His reflexes were quick and he sat up with his sword in his hand, prepared to strike any intruder. But he saw no one. The only company he found was the candle dimly lit across the room, and the moonlight creeping in from the small window above his bed. There was no way anyone could have come in without him noticing. The window was far too small to accommodate any man, and the door made no indication of any sort of intrusion. With weapon, still drawn, he got up and examined the room. Still he found nothing and nobody, and concluded that he was imagining things. But when he turned around his jaw fell stiff and he dropped his weapon to the floor. He was not alone after all.

"Brother," announced the intruder who sat casually on the bed. Allan did not respond. He recognized the ghostly figure who appeared before him, but he could not believe it.

"Look like you've just seen a ghost," he continued, a mischievous smirk decorating his face. "Don't worry I 'aven't come 'ere to haunt you. Holy lands after all. Just here to pay a visit to my dear brother."

It took a lot out of Allan to respond to the phantom that sat before him. His feet remained planted. He felt weak in the knees and felt that gravity was pulling him down harder and harder, but eventually he managed to speak. "Tom?' he asked, still with a look of confusion and bewilderment on his face. "But you're dead," Allan went on. "I'm not trying to be funny, but I saw you hang. I collected your belongings. I mourned for you!"

"Relax Allan, I'm not trying to be funny either." Tom got up from the bed. He slowly approached Allan and stared at him for a moment. Allan flinched as Tom grew close and reeled back in fear when Tom's ghostly hand fell on Allan's shoulder. "You saw right," Tom said, trying to hold back a laugh. "I really am dead. But like I said I'm 'ere to pay a visit to my brother."

"How?" Allan asked incredulously.

"You're in the Holy Land now," Tom explained and smiled at Allan intently. "Everything is possible here."

Allan still in disbelief, felt the tears of joy streaming down his face. He never thought he'd see Tom again. Yet his brother stood before him, a ghost perhaps, but still in corporeal form, the way he had remembered him in life. After a moment of hesitation, he lunged at his brother and enveloped him in a loving embrace. Tom returned the gesture, ghostly tears running down his face as well.

"I can't stay long," Tom said as he pulled out. There was a somber look on his face as he continued to speak. "I'm 'ere to visit you, but I also have a message for you. You cannot leave the Holy Land yet. You have unfinished business 'ere."

Allan did not understand, but chose not to speak. He wanted to hear what his brother had to say.

"There is great evil within these lands," Tom explained. "It is destroying everything that comes in it path, especially the heart, and the spirits of men. It is the cause of this war. It's time in this world is limited, but it will not end just yet. This war will continue for many centuries to come. It will not end in your lifetime, nor your descendants'. However, your actions now will determine the future."

Tom paused for a moment, and gave his brother a meaningful look before continuing.

"First, you must fully reconcile with your family Allan. Although this mission is meant for you and you alone you must do that before you are to pursue your calling. I'm not talking about me. God knows I love you to death Allan, and I know no matter what I do to you, I am still your brother." Tom gave his brother a playful glance. "I'm talking about the family you have left on this earth: Robin, Will, Djaq, all those who you betrayed. You must repair the bonds you have broken with them. Even if this mission is for you alone, you will find that your family will play an important part in all this.

And remember, you cannot leave these lands until your business 'ere is finished."

Tom's body began to shift in and out of corporeality. "I was sent to tell you this," he said. "And now that I have, my time 'ere is finished. I must return.

"Wait!" Allan demanded as his brother's form was beginning to fade. "What do you mean? What unfinished business? What exactly must I do? Tom, tell me! Don't leave yet!"

"You know what it is you have to do," Tom answered. " I don't 'ave to tell you. But if you're lost, don't be afraid. I'll always be with you." As he saw Allan's tears grow more numerous, his own began to multiply as well. "Forgive me, brother" he added as he began to fade faster and faster. He reached out and took hold of Allan's hand. "You are a good man. You must continue living a life that is worth living for I myself, lived an unworthy life. I betrayed your trust and the trust of good men."

"You and me both, Tom." Allan smiled. "Djaq was right about you always being a part of me. It seems I can never be rid of you. Even in death my little brother still pesters me," Allan said jokingly. "But I forgive you, Tom. I forgive you."

Before he knew it Tom was gone. His hand which moments ago held onto solid flesh, was holding onto air. He was alone once again.

"I know what it is that I must do," he whispered silently to himself. "This is for you, Tom."


	2. The Blessing

Allan did not sleep that night. He couldn't after what just happened. The ghostly visit from his dead brother and talk of unfinished business was enough to put his restless mind in greater turmoil.

He packed what little belongings he had. In the morning, Robin and the gang would be leaving for the port of Acre. He would be joining them for the journey there, but he would not be returning to England with them. He had not told them yet. His plans were to let them know as soon as they reached the port.

The air outside was inviting. The night was cool, but not frigid as he had assumed it to be. He knew it would be dangerous to step foot outside, but he felt he needed to clear his mind a little. Hesitantly, he left the safe confines of the house he was a guest in. He wore a cloak to conceal his identity and remained in the shadows as to not be seen. There was after all, a curfew placed on these lands.

Allan walked several kilometers, before realizing how much walking he had done. The cool night breeze tickled his nose with exotic scents and his curious eyes took in all the beauty the Holy Land had to offer, reminding him of how far he was from home. It was all magnificent, but he still felt choked and strangled.

-----

It wasn't long before he realized he had wandered too far. So far in fact that he was in the outskirts of the city. His eyes spotted two figures in the shadows ahead. He slowed his pace as to not be heard. The night concealed their features, but Allan knew he had to be careful. If Saracen guards were to capture him, he would find himself alone and in danger in a land unfamiliar to him. Sure he could use his natural aptitude for lying to try to save himself, but even that hardly worked in his own country. The chances of escape would not be good, and even so, the chances of living for an Englishman were very little. One mistake would alert them, and that would be his undoing.

Nimbly, he tried to sneak past them, his ears remaining vigilant, listening for any indication that they were aware of his presence . His days with Robin Hood taught him stealth and cunning and he would use these effectively when the times called for it.

But his ears heard something he was not expecting. The two men before him spoke English. Unbroken , clear and familiar English. In fact, their dialects were his own. And not only that, he recognized their voices. They were not Saracen guards. They were his friends Robin and Much. But what were they doing here?

-----

"Robin is that you?" Allan whispered from a distance.

The two men turned their heads toward his voice. Allan had indeed been right about the identity of the two men. Robin and Much glanced at him quickly then returned to their quiet conversation.

"What are you lads doin' 'ere?" Allan had a guess. Robin was still mourning for Marian, and Much his ever loyal companion remained by his side. But he wanted to strike up some sort of conversation and asked anyway.

"You should be in bed, Allan. It's dangerous to be out here at this time," Robin said coldly. "We have a long journey tomorrow. It's a good time to rest."

"Couldn't sleep," Allan replied coolly. "Thought about seeing the Holy Land one more time before we head back to England, you know." He stood beside Robin who stared blankly into to black horizon. He himself looked in the direction Robin was looking, but he saw nothing but black emptiness. There was no doubt in his mind Robin saw other things, things which he probably could not comprehend.

An awkward silence followed.

A few moments passed and neither Robin or the notoriously vociferous Much uttered a single word. He felt slightly uncomfortable in their presence but he decided to remain. After tomorrow, he did not know when he would see them again.

"Beautiful ain't it?" Allan interrupted the awkward silence. "All you see is nothingness. Everything covered in shadow, but you know when the light comes tomorrow you realize that the darkness was just an illusion."

"What are you really doing here Allan?" Much finally spoke up.

"Like I said, I couldn't sleep," Allan replied simply.

"Oh…all right."

Much's uncharacteristically quiet disposition worried Allan for a moment, but he shrugged it off. He realized that whatever pain Robin felt, he felt as well. The two were like conjoined twins, doomed to be attached at the hip until the end of their days. He laughed at the idea.

"I'm sorry about Marian, Robin," Allan continued his pursuit at conversation. He hated to poke at Robin's wounds, but he hoped talking to his friend about his loss would help him cope. He also wanted to put some of his unrest at ease. After all, he did feel somewhat responsible for Marian's death.

"Let's not speak of it, Allan, please," Robin replied distantly. " I do not wish to speak of it."

"I know you don't. But I just can't help feel responsible for some of it. If I had just-"

"It was Gisbourne Allan, not you." Robin's voice was still cold with an echo of vengeance surrounding it as he uttered the words of Marian's killer. "Please, do not speak of it any longer."

"I know you don't trust me any longer, Robin," Allan continued despite Robin's request. His voice became a bit more somber and a look of sadness came over his face. "But I am sorry. I know I've said it a million times, but I really, really am sorry. You saved my life yet I betrayed you. You said we all have a choice in everything. Well, I made a bad choice. I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it right, but I will try. Honest!"

"Allan, my friend, you are forgiven," Robin smiled. "I know you're a good man. All good men make mistakes and some more than others. I myself have made many, and there is not a single one I do not regret. Forgive me as well, for I judged you too harshly."

Robin grew silent and allowed himself to sit on the cold, dry sand beneath him. He picked up a pile of sand, and allowed the wind to take it into the air, His face grew blank as he entered a deeper state of thought and looked more intently at the distance. Allan and Much both looked at each other with concern, unsure about what Robin was doing. Much gave Allan a slight smile indicating that he had forgiven Allan as well despite all that happened between them in the past.

After another few moments of silence, Allan felt compelled to tell his friends of what he was to do in the morning. He felt it was a good time.

"I'm staying here," he announced boldly.

"What?" Much asked him intently. "Why?"

Robin did not move. He simply blinked unnoticeably at Allan's surprising news before resuming his reverie.

"I can't say why. I just 'ave to." Allan eyes shifted to sands beneath him as he finished his statement. He kicked a small pile into the air, also watching as the winds picked up each tiny grain. "I don't even know if I will return. Nor do I know what lies before me, but I 'ave a feeling it's going take all the strength I 'ave."

Allan gently removed the tag hanging around his neck and approached Robin. "It 'as been an honor to fight alongside you my friends," he said, nodding at Much and handing Robin the tag which meant so much to him. "Take this back. I do not deserve it. You took it away once. You shouldn't 'ave returned it to me. I 'aven't earned it back yet."

Robin took the tags in his hand and eyed them curiously. He was not vocal about it, but he understood where Allan was coming from. He got up and grabbed Allan's hand with one his own and used the other to secure the tags in his friends hand.

"Keep these. You've proved yourself on more than one occasion. Go on your journey with my blessing." Robin gripped Allan's hands tighter. "Wherever you go, remember, you are Robin Hood! May our paths cross again, my friend."

"Thank you," Allan smiled gratefully as Robin released his grip. He placed the tags around his neck and fingered the carvings gently. These symbols were more than just designs, they stood for friendship, loyalty and peace. He would carry these with him on his journey, whatever that journey may be.

Much, with a look of disappointment and disbelief walked over to Allan and hugged him abruptly. "I'm going to miss you Allan."

"Me too," Allan said, caught off guard by Much's gesture, but eventually returning it. "It was certainly more peaceful at the castle when you weren't around, but I admit I did miss your big mouth." Allan chuckled as Much released him. "I won't forget you Much. You know, Robin's lucky to 'ave a friend as loyal as you. You will take care of Will and Djaq for me, won't you?"

"You know I will." Much wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeves. He hardly realized there were tears in his eyes until he felt a trickle move down his face. He liked Allan and could forget his betrayal. But he hadn't expected their reconciliation would be so short.

"I'm leaving first thing in the morning. I'll say good-bye to the others then." Allan gave the two men one final look before he started heading back to Bassam's home where would attempt sleep again. Perhaps Robin's words would ease his mind a little. "Good-night, gents."


	3. The Friendship

To his surprise, Allan managed to doze off into a comfortable sleep and woke up somewhat refreshed the next morning. But a good night's rest wasn't enough to relieve him of his current anxiety. The issue of breaking the news of his decision to Little John, Djaq and Will still hung over his head like a dark cloud. Internally, he wished he had a little more time, but knew that wouldn't be possible since the boat for England would leave in a matter of hours and they would have to leave Bassam's house within the hour.

As he gathered his belongings, he was startled by a familiar figure standing by his doorway. It was Will, dressed in lavish Saracen garb, which Allan frankly thought looked quite ridiculous on him.

"What's with the attire?" Allan joked, while looking at his friend with amusement. The relationship between the two of them had begun to mend, but it would be a long time before things would be as they once were, he realized.

"I like it actually." Will managed a smile and began to feel the soft material covering him. "Bassam gave it to me. It's quite comfortable."

Allan made his way to strangely clothed man and began examining the cerulean material. "I'm not trying to be funny, but you do look rather silly." He paused for a moment and looked at his friend's face intently. Something about it caught his attention. He wasn't sure what it was, but he noticed something different about him. For some odd reason, he looked happier.

"When you get back to England and the king restores order," Allan said, bringing up a familiar subject the two of them would often talk about. He figured he could inform Will of his departure in a subtle manner. It was hard enough letting Robin and Much know, but now he had to tell Will, the one person he was closest to in the gang. Besides, he was never the one to be blunt or forward with words. Beating around the bush was his specialty. "Will you begoing back to Scarborough to settle down? I figure since the Sheriff and Guy are gone, you might want to live out the rest of your life in peace. I mean, you and Djaq of course. And little Lukie-"

"I'm staying here," Will interrupted. The difference between him and Allan was that if he had something to say, he was very straightforward. Allan could only respond with a slight look of confusion.

"Djaq and I," Will continued. "We're staying here. We're not going back to England."

It was almost too much for Allan to digest all at once. What was his friend thinking? After all they'd done to try to restore order in England, would he just be willing to leave it all behind for love? Did Will not know that his people were not welcome in the Holy Land. Persecution and the fear of death would always hang over his shoulder. Did he not realize that by staying here, he would endanger Djaq's life? Allan smiled when he realized it was no different from their days as outlaws. Will would probably adapt quite well. Now he knew where that content look on Will's face had come from. But that didn't remove the uneasy feeling he had about the whole situation. He had to get some answers.

"For how long?" he asked "I mean, couldn't you stay in England instead?"

Will expected his friend to say something like that. Even after his betrayal, the man had changed very little. Perhaps a little more arrogant maybe, but still the same old Allan.

"I don't know how long," Will responded. "All I know is I want to be Djaq. She wants to stay here with her people and I'm staying with her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her, Allan."

"What about Luke?" Allan asked with concern.

"Luke will be fine," Will hoped as images of his younger brother manifested themselves in his head. His heart ached to see Luke again, but he realized that he belonged here with the woman he loved.

"He's old enough to take care of himself. He doesn't need me anymore. It's time for him to follow his own path."

"And Robin? Have you told him?" Allan continued to pursue, growing even more concerned at the realization that Robin would be returning to England without three of his comrades in addition to losing Marian. He wasn't sure if Robin could stand another loss.

"I haven't told him yet. But I will. Just thought I'd let you know first, is all"

A moment of silence passed between the two. The desert winds outside began to howl, and Will wanted nothing more than some sort of response from his friend.

"I'm stayin' 'ere too," Allan decided to counteract with his own breaking news. "There is something I must do."

"Pardon?" Now it was Will who became utterly confused.

"I can't tell you what or why," Allan continued. "Believe me, if I did, I'd tell you. All I I know is that it I have unfinished business here."

A million different questions popped-up in Will's head. What purpose could a man like Allan have here in the Holy Land? Was he still in league with Gisbourne and the Sheriff and was on his way to find them? Or perhaps he had found a woman of his own and decided to remain here with her. He realized, however, that it was none of those things. He noticed something sincere in Allan's face, an expression that was rare and could only be noticed by those who knew the man really well. He decided not to pursue the subject any longer. Whatever Allan had to do, he knew it was of great impotrance.

"Sounds rather suspicious if you ask me, these talks of unfinished business and all," Will joked and arched his eyebrows in an impish manner.

Allan chuckled and gave his friend a playful shove in response to the obvious joke that had been made.

"You know I had a feeling, you and Djaq would finally admit your feelings to each other. Took you two a bloody long time, and I wish I had been there to see it, but I knew it would 'appen eventually."

"You liked her too remember," Will announced, referring to the time when Djaq was captured and the two of them had openly admitted to the rest of the gang how they felt about their Saracen comrade.

"Yea," Allan remembered, and blushed slightly. "But we all knew you and her were meant to be."

The pair grew silent for a minute. In both their minds, old memories of good times reminded them that no matter what obstacles a friendship faced, it would endure as long as the friendship was true. Theirs was no exception.

"Take this with you," Will said as he pulled out a small wooden axe out of a bag he had been carrying and handed it to Allan. "It no longer serves me a purpose."

Allan hesitated a moment before gripping his friend's most treasured possession in his hand.

"Thank you, Will, but I can't. Your father gave you this. This belongs in your family."

"Allan, you, Luke, Robin, Djaq and the rest of the gang, you are my family." A feeling of pride swelled up within Will as he uttered those words.

Allan felt unworthy. He betrayed Will. He fought against him as part of Gisborne's men. He was not there for his friend when he lost his father. What kind of family was he?

"I don't deserve this," he told Will as he tried to hand back the axe. "I don't Will, and you know it."

"Nonsense Allan!" Will scolded, pushing Allan's hands back. "We are friends. We need to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect friendship. What you did was wrong, yes, but I forgive you. We all do. No matter what happens, you and I, we're like brothers."

Allan felt a little choked-up as he tried to suppress an emotional deluge. For Will to suddenly forget all the wrong he had done meant a lot to him. He masked his emotions with a wide smirk and an airy chuckle before feeling compelled to hug the man before him. Perhaps things would be as they once were.


End file.
